Management of medical emergencies: For the dental team

  • M. H. Thornhill,
  • M. N. Pemberton &
  • G. J. Atherton
UK: Stephen Hancocks Ltd price £2995, pp 72 ISBN 0954614542 | ISBN: 0-954-61454-2

As the title suggests, this book is aimed at the whole dental team. In the teaching of basic life support there is an emphasis that the best teaching takes place in the usual place of work in familiar surroundings. Each team member (receptionist, nurse, dentist...) is then able to become familiar with their role in their usual environment. Managing medical emergencies is definitely a team effort in any setting.

This new publication is a slim, A4, colour, soft back book in the style of the BDJ clinical guides which readers may already be familiar with. The book is liberally illustrated with colour pictures and photographs, and boxes within the text highlight and summarise important areas. In addition there are clinical scenarios which are used as examples of typical presentations of medical emergencies, and the subsequent text discusses in more detail the management of the condition.

There are four chapters in this book discussing: emergency equipment and techniques, management of the collapsed patient, management of the causes of collapse, and medical emergencies in the conscious patient. Each chapter is subdivided into smaller easy to digest sections with clear and concise information and explanations.

Management of medical emergencies is an evolving field and all dental healthcare workers should be as up to date as possible. Unfortunately, in publishing a book such as this the possibility of guideline changes overtaking the text exists. In this case, the published guidelines on the management of adult basic life support have been updated since publication of the book. The Resuscitation Council (UK) guidelines (www.resus.org.uk) for basic life support for an adult patient have been changed and now the guidance for an initial two rescue breaths has been dropped, and the compressions to breaths ratio changed from 15:2, to 30:2.

The authors have various medical and dental qualifications and backgrounds in hospital and dental practice environments and so have direct knowledge and experience of the things they tell us about in this book. Notwithstanding inevitable updates, this book would be essential reading for all members of the dental team in any work environment — and an invaluable learning and revision aid for dental undergraduates and DCPs.